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News from Italy

Venice to double the number of days tourists must pay entry fee

Venice brings back daytripper fee for 2025, doubling the cost for last-minute bookings

Venice will double the number of days it charges tourists an entrance fee in 2025, following a “successful” trial last year, the city’s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, said. A charge was introduced last April, covering 29 days—primarily weekends and public holidays—over four months. Day trippers who book ahead must pay €5 (£4.17; $5.41) to access the Italian city on certain days between April and July, rising to €10 if they book less than four days in advance. The tax will be applied every Friday to Sunday and on public holidays between 18 April and 27 July 2025 for 54 days.

All visitors over 14 will have to pay the charge on their phones and download a QR code to show inspectors, who will check people randomly in common arrival areas, like the train station.

As with the previous charge, people with hotel and guest house reservations will be exempt, as will residents of the Veneto region, students enrolled at Venice University, and those visiting relatives who live in Venice.

Luigi Brugnaro said the objective remained to discourage tourists from visiting the city on the same days “to give Venice the respect it deserves.”

Last year, Unesco said the city should be added to a list of world heritage sites in danger, as the impact of climate change and mass tourism threatens to irreversibly change it.

In 2021, large cruise ships were banned from entering the historic centre of Venice via the Giudecca canal after a boat crashed into a harbour.

Critics also argued that the ships were causing pollution and eroding the city’s foundations, which suffer from regular flooding.

Venice will extend its daytripper tax next year, increasing the number of days tourists must pay to enter the city and doubling the fee to €10 for last-minute visitors, city officials said on Thursday.

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro stressed that the tax aims to help the city and its citizens battle overtourism and avoid vast influxes of visitors during crowded holidays and weekends.

Venice announced last year that it would introduce the long-discussed day tripper fee after the city narrowly escaped being placed on the UN’s list of endangered heritage sites due mainly to the impact of over-tourism.

 

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